All About Employee Leave & PTO in Costa Rica

Vacation Leave 

Employees in Costa Rica who’ve worked at least 50 consecutive weeks for one employer are entitled to at least two weeks of paid time off. 

Maternity & Paternity Leave 

Under Costa Rican law, new mothers are entitled to maternity leave. Expecting mothers should provide employers with a medical certificate stating when their expected due date is and they should receive one month off prior to this date. Following birth or adoption, new mothers are entitled to at least three months of paid maternity leave, split 50/50 between the social security system and the employer. New fathers working in the private sector are entitled to two paid days of paternity leave for four weeks following birth (eight days total).

Miscellaneous Leave

Under the following circumstances, employees are entitled to additional leave including: 

• Medical appointments

• Voting

• Jury summons

Sick Leave  

Short-term sick leave is unlimited in Costa Rica. Other types of medical leave can be granted on a case-by-case basis. The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) requires that employers provide a doctor’s note that includes a recommendation for length of sick leave to receive sick pay.

Benefits for Caretakers of the Terminally Ill

A special type of leave is granted to employees who care for those who are terminally ill. Employees must present a request to the attending physician at one of CCSS’s medical centers to get their leave request approved. The social security system then pays the employee a subsidy during the care period. Employers must respect this period and reinstate the employee to the same role, terms, and conditions prior to the employee’s leave.